Council “comfortable” with new parking charges

CLAIMS that Warrington Borough Council’s decision to increase parking charges at Lymm and Stockton Heath was illegal have been refuted by the council’s transport chief.
Cllr Hans Mundry, lead member for transport, said: “We are comfortable that we have followed all the correct procedures in introducing these charges.
“The pricing is appropriate and comparable with neighbouring authorities but we will continue to review the situation.”
The claims came from Lymm parish councillor Anna Fradgley after the borough introduced a new charging system in Lymm and Stockton Heath shortly before Christmas.
She raised a number of Freedom of Information questions with the council and claimed that the borough’s parking task group had received inadequate information before it reached its decision.
As a result, she argued, the new charges contravened the Traffic Management Act 2004.
She demanded a review of the situation by the borough’s legal department and said if she did not receive a satisfactory response she would have no option but to raise the matter with the Local Government Ombudsman.
Today, Cllr Fradgley said: “I certainly don’t regard Cllr Mundry’s response as being adequate. I am still awaiting a response from the council’s legal department but I do not believe the council have followed correct procedures.
“Nor are the charges comparable with comparable authorities. You can park for 10p in Altrincham and for free in Northwich.”
The changes at Lymm and Stockton Heath involved abolishing a free one hour parking period and replacing it with a 15-minute free period and increasing the minimum charge from 50p to £1.
Local shopkeepers claim the changes have resulted in a loss of trade.